Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Tuesday charged the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and opposition Congress with being "equally responsible" for the fuel price hike, saying the two had disregarded the interest of the farmers and the poor.
She said while the previous United Progressive Alliance (UPA) regime had brought fuel out of government control, the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) continued with the policy.
Mayawati said soon after coming to power in 2014, the NDA had deregulated diesel, which had hurt the interest of the poor.
But they projected it as an economic reform, the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister claimed.
Her remarks came a day after the Congress observed a nationwide bandh against fuel prices. The protest was supported by several opposition parties.
Mayawati's statement is being seen as a dent in the opposition unity against the BJP ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
She also criticised the incidents of violence in some states during the protest, saying her party desisted from such acts.
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